Poll: Your feelings of game pirating.

[FretfulGnome]

Bottom line, if you have emulators of any system you are lying to yourself and you are just as bad as those douchebags who torrent the games for consoles the day they come out, so get off your fucking moral high horse okay?

The only one who needs to get of the moral high horse is you. You wouldn't pirate an NES game? Are you fucking kidding me? I can play several NES games online right now for no money what so ever. Seriously, do you walk around all day with a stick up your ass and an imaginary halo on your head?

 

[lacktheknack]

I've only attempted to torrent one game in my life, but I couldn't find it. I would've bought it on eBay, but it's not THERE either.

Anyone got a copy of "The Dark Eye" I can have?

 

[lacktheknack]

My feelings of game pirating? Fuck off with your dumbass excuses. I know you're just doing it because you want to play but not pay. You know you're just doing it because you want to play but not pay. And FOR GODS SAKE don't try to even convince yourself you have some sort of excuse.

How about mine?

"I checked eBay, Amazon, and even Google, but it just wasn't available. Then, when I attempted to torrent, I couldn't do THAT either, because the game was so obscure."

No, I've never managed to pirate anything. Short of being "unable to locate a single copy", I don't think any excuses are legitimate.

 

[Vuljatar]

I only pirate games if I already own them (Deus Ex, for example. Lost the CD a long time ago), if they are extremely difficult to obtain otherwise, or if I want to try it out but think there's a good chance I won't like it (Spore. Played it for like an hour before uninstalling and deleting).

The one exception to this rule is Modern Warfare 2. I encourage everyone to pirate that, just to spite Activision.

 

[skywalkerlion]

Only to try it. Then if you like it you should give the company money for making a good game in the hopes of them making an even better one in the future.

 

[Space Spoons]

I'm against most forms of piracy. However, one form of game pirating that I do advocate is downloading the game after you've already purchased it legitimately. It's not stealing the game, because you've already paid for it; it's merely backing up your purchase, something most forms of DRM try to stop you from doing.

 

[Stormz]

I only do it with really old games that I would never be able to find. Other than that I don't support pirating, especially when it comes to new games that are still easy to find. My brother though does nothing but pirate for psp. Of course he's lazy and doesn't want to get a job to be able to buy things or even support his kid.

 

[SilverUchiha]

It sort of depends. Let's say that it is the end of the year and gaming companies do what they usually do and release all of their most interesting (and often best games) in the same two month holiday window. In that situation, most people can only afford one or two of these games and the rest are up for chance in terms of getting them as gifts. Assuming you family is like mine and doesn't want to get you anything fun for christmas, but rather "practical" you aren't likely to get games like Dragon Age or Borderlands for chirstmas. So if you want to play them but can't afford them and have no other way of getting them, your only remaining options are to borrow from a friend (which none of my friends can offer because they're typically in the same boat only more so because they couldn't even afford the one or two games to start with). The other option is to pirate the game to see if you would even enjoy playing it could you afford it.

Another issue is that games are also overpriced in some sense. Games could easily be knocked down a good bit if we stopped packaging them and making hard copies, and instead, made them all just downloads for your computer (just like Steam does). At least that should be the logic, but the game on steam is the same at Gamestop, no matter what you do (far as I've seen). Only difference is Steam will have better sales from time to time. But I'm rambling and will probably be quoted for something stupid I said without realizing it.

 

[Thaius]

The fact is, if I go download a ROM for Terranigma (a SNES RPG), the publisher is losing absolutely no money. They are no longer making the game, meaning that the only place I could hope to find it is in secondhand shops or websites like Ebay, neither of which benefit the original creator. So way I see it, you can't steal from someone who no longer benefits from your use of their product: if they are not supplying it, you should not be expected to pay for it.

I do have a problem with the piracy of modern games, though I have noticed there's a bit of an "honor among thieves" thing going on. Many people (at least those who are serious about the medium they are pirating from) will buy a game if it was really worth it. I confess to doing the same thing with movies: I'll download a movie now and again, but if it was really worth it I'll buy the DVD next chance I get. I don't really see a problem with that. But people who pirate still-in-production items without ever reimbursing the original creator annoy me.

 

[rayne117]

If you pirate a game because of restrictions on: (1) quantities of the product, (2) being under the legal age to purchase it, (3) your location, (4) or if the developer who made the game is no longer in business then it is OK.

Pirating the game in the conditions of one or more of the options (1)-(3) warrants the monetary sum of the game be payed to, in full, to the developer of the game. Politely tell them of the situation you are in and why you are purchasing their work illegally.

All of the above has been part of the IMO studios library.

 

[WhiteRat07]

I a'm half tempted to do this for earthbound a game i would love to play again. But i have no idea how to and if i did prolly wouldn't anyways.

 

[Gladion]

My feelings of game pirating? Fuck off with your dumbass excuses. I know you're just doing it because you want to play but not pay. You know you're just doing it because you want to play but not pay. And FOR GODS SAKE don't try to even convince yourself you have some sort of excuse.

How about mine?

"I checked eBay, Amazon, and even Google, but it just wasn't available. Then, when I attempted to torrent, I couldn't do THAT either, because the game was so obscure."

No, I've never managed to pirate anything. Short of being "unable to locate a single copy", I don't think any excuses are legitimate.

I understand some games are extremely hard to find, but then again they've either become freeware anyways or, as in your case, can't even be downloaded at all. The "I can't get my hands on it" excuse is used rather often, too.

 

[ragestreet]

My feelings on game piracy? I love it. It's exposed me to the Warhammer 40k series, let me get nostalgic with roms of old games, and it's given me countless hours of mostly free entertainment. I guess this is what they mean when they say the best things in life are free.

Edit: I love how the top two options in this poll endorse pirating.

 

[FungTheDestroy]

I take the ironic route and ask, is this really the only way? Can't it be done differently? Is money the only way you can show support to the creators? Did they really put in all this effort just to make money? Are you sure they didn't want to create a world for us to live in, or convey some sort of message?

To be blunt, if they didn't want to make money, they wouldn't sell the game; they'd offer it for a free download. I'm not claiming anyone's motivated solely by money, but it must play some part.

Do I care that I'm hurting people? Trick question: They were already suffering, and they will continue to until the system changes. I care about people who legitimately work hard, but shoveling money towards them won't help, only strengthen their masters who keep them on chain, desperate to keep their job. The video game industry is deadly. Everyone wants a job in it, so a publisher won't hesitate to hire someone willing to work at half your wage, doing twice the work.

I'm not entirely sure what systematic change you aim to affect. I understand that these big companies may be hurting the little guy, but the little guy works for them voluntarily, and stealing his work doesn't make the system better- it shows a certain degree of disrespect for the little guy's work.

This is all on the assumption that the current system is false, and needs to change. to change things, some people will have to suffer and fight the good fight. But if you think everything is good the way it is, and people should keep quiet and make the best out of it, then continue to think that money is important, and is the only way to get what you want, and help those you think you are helping.

Who's suffering when people pirate games? It's not the people pirating the games- they get what they want, and don't have to pay for it. It's the people who earn a livelihood making and selling the games- the (arguably corrupt) big businesses and the (admired) game designers.

The problem is that the system is intertwined and that Big Business and Little Guy are intimately connected. The only options (buy or don't buy) boil down to "help Big Business and Little Guy" or "hurt Big Business and Little Guy". It's a matter of opinion, honestly- you're arguing that Big Business has to go, and I'm saying the Little Guy needs to earn a living.

Voluntary is very loosely used here. You're right if they wanted to just make art it would be free. But they have to make money to support themselves, and the family that a lot of them probably have. They are voluntary as in they are not chained to the table and forced to work, but at the same time, they have to accept their wages, or lose the job. They can't go on strike to change things, but that's exactly what needs to be done.

I think I'm more talking about movie and music business here. It's very hard to argue with or against Video Game Pirating because it barely happens. Only on PSP and 360 games from this generation. Everything else needs to be bought. And that industry is not as completely corrupt as music, or in a state of complete monopoly as movies.

Does pirating physically accomplish much? Not really. It's such a small percentage of people who own the product, because everyone else is actually paying for it. I'd think it's more of a statement, saying I refuse to support the Big Business, and I will root for my fellow workers as they suffer and attempt to make the real difference.

If pirating was more large scale, then it would make a difference. Less money going into the company would mean less of a fraction going to the workers. When wages are cut, or workers are fired en mass, then maybe they will go on strike, demand more for their hard work.

But maybe I'm mistaken about the way North Americans think. "Protesting is for cry babies. Accept the way it is". Yeah I'm mistaken. Things won't change.

Edit: The argument is that developers deserve money. I agree, but they're not getting it so why bother.

 

[Regiment]

Voluntary is very loosely used here. You're right if they wanted to just make art it would be free. But they have to make money to support themselves, and the family that a lot of them probably have. They are voluntary as in they are not chained to the table and forced to work, but at the same time, they have to accept their wages, or lose the job. They can't go on strike to change things, but that's exactly what needs to be done.

...

If pirating was more large scale, then it would make a difference. Less money going into the company would mean less of a fraction going to the workers. When wages are cut, or workers are fired en mass, then maybe they will go on strike, demand more for their hard work.

...

If they wanted to change things, they would go on strike. An organized strike of game designers (or musicians, or filmmakers, or radish salesmen for that matter) would kill the industry and force it to change its ways. I argue that you can't force a strike by pirating media.

The argument is that developers deserve money. I agree, but they're not getting it so why bother.

They are getting it- maybe not as much as they want, or as much as they deserve, or as much as you want them to get, but they are making money. You seem to be saying (and please correct me if I'm wrong) that they're being exploited and we shouldn't support that. I'm saying that they and their exploiters are inexorably tied together, and that by pirating media the creators get 0% rather than measley%. Why bother? If you buy media, you support the creator. You may support someone else, but you support the creator. It's like I said in my previous post: You argue for the end of Big Business and I argue for support of the Little Guy, and in the short- term at least the two are mutually incompatible.

But maybe I'm mistaken about the way North Americans think. "Protesting is for cry babies. Accept the way it is".

I didn't say that. I didn't say I spoke for North America (or that I was from North America, by the way- and I don't think North Americans have a problem with protesting). I didn't call you a crybaby. I didn't say you need to accept things the way they are. In fact, I understand your point and your feelings fairly well. I only questioned your methods.

 

[UberMore]

I used to pirate, not much, and never anything new, but even that was enough for me to feel guilt. Plus I was missing out on some things with a proper release, so the only thing I've pirated lately is a copy of Derren Brown 'cause my DVD didn't have the commentary, but I found out that VLC allows me to use the commentary, so I got rid of that copy and now I'm clean again...PURGE THE WICKED!!!

 

[Chrisseren]

Wait, your real purchase, the one you do in real life because you liked the torrent, or wanted to buy it. Won't benefit the producers that insanely, you are stating it like developers are all broke and the $60 bucks will be giving straight to them to feed their children.

The money goes to the company, and developers get a salary. The money won't lose all their money or not have enough to make another game unless they were dead broke when they made it. The people who torrent are less that the people who buy obviously. Most good games break in about several hundred thousand or more TO THE COMPANY.

Like i said, your $60 dollars, or even all of the people's who torrent's $60 dollars won't affect much in the industries. Counting up all the people in the world who torrent and multiplying it with $60 would bring maybe 2 hundred thousand more, The business wouldn't fail without that money.

 

[BuyableDoor]

I would never do it if you had to have your console opened up or have any physical alterations made. However, if you make it so simple that I myself can do it (like the NDS roms & Wii softmodding. seriously nintendo....) then it's kinda shitty piracy protection on the part of the developer, and I don't really have problems with it.